


Fear Itself

by Nevermourn



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anti-Demon Cassandra, F/M, Human Cole, Modern Girl in Thedas, Modern OC, OC is a jerk, Slow Build, demon OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-13 07:29:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5700070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nevermourn/pseuds/Nevermourn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They called it murder, but I think the bastard deserved it. Now I'm sitting in a cold cell and the Devil is calling my name, so I do what any reasonable person does. I give him my soul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bad Girls

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so...you probably won't be a huge fan of the OC at first because she's a bitch. But anyways. Those of you that are waiting on me to put up 'Risen For Him', it might be a while. Those waiting for 'To Dream of Inquisition' updates, I lost muse for that so I'll probably get back to it eventually.
> 
> I do not update on a fixed schedule. I have a busy life. Be prepared to get one or more chapters a night, or go without one for a week or even a month. Depends on how life goes for me. In fact, I usually have more chapters done than what I publish, you just can't read them until I proof them first. XP 
> 
> This is primarily a Cole/OC fic. There will be mentions about other relationships such as Solas/Lavellan, but if that's why you're here, you might want to leave, because there is not super hawt and steamy Solas smut in this fic, sorry. I know, I'm sad too. CURSE ME! 
> 
> Please drop a review or two, I like to know if people are liking my works or not, or if I should just go hide in a hole forever. ;) 
> 
> Feel free to point out errors as there's literally no way you can offend me over the internet. Trust me. The first few chapters of this fic were actually written in first person at first, but as I had never written like that before, I failed miserably and had to go back and make it all third person. You'll definitely be able to tell the difference when we get a bit into the story where I didn't need to change anything, and the writing style becomes a bit more detailed.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Go see the nurse.” The man in the police uniform huffed. The idea of his irritation caused the raven haired woman to smirk with some minor satisfaction. She hadn’t started the fight, and her opponent, the rather foul looking woman caught in the grasp of the four cops attempting to wrestle her to the ground, was still spitting fury.

“You think you’re some tough shit, don’t ya bitch? You ain’t got shit on me!” They finally managed to pin the crazed woman to the cold floor. _Damn._ She looked mad. Serana still wasn’t entirely certain as to how the fight had begun. She had been attempting to mind her own business, keeping her piercing blue eyes on the concrete walls of the large holding cell and making sure that her slender limbs were not trailing into anyone’s shadow lest they get all territorial over it, but it seemed maintaining peace in a place full of people looking for a fight was impossible.

All Serana really remembered was, “Why the fuck do you have to breathe so hard all up near me like that?!” And then the nails tore into her cheek and Serana had lunged in retaliation. She was always silent when she breathed because she also found great annoyance in being around those that practically wheezed with every breath, as if they had just finished running a damn marathon. It was obvious the woman had just been seeking an excuse to strike out, but luckily the officers jumped in soon enough to pull them apart, and asides from the bloody carvings across Serana’s left cheek, she was unscathed. Her opponent had not been so lucky. Surprised by Serana’s vengeful offense, the older woman had lost footing and fell back, crashing the back of her skull into the wall. There was a bloody mark to show for Serana’s handiwork. She was amazed the old hag was still trying to attack her.

A few nurses had approached the scene and were waiting in the hallway. The cops were bringing in ‘the chair’, a rather cruel device that was meant to restrict a person’s movement, condemning them to sit in one place for hours at a time, tortured by cramps and itches they could not relieve. Luckily, Serana was not their target, as one cop escorted her past the chair and toward the awaiting nurse. The harsh metal of the handcuffs grinded into Serana’s delicate, pale skin as she moved and she hated it. She hated everyone. Even the nurse did not escape her scathing glare, and Serana had no friggen clue as to who the hell the woman even was. It was safe to say that she was fairly pissed off. Her cheeks still burned from the action.

The wound stung a little as the nurse wiped it down, pressing a small bandage over the scratches. The damage was insignificant in Serana’s opinion but she wouldn’t object to the treatment. She wondered how much longer she would be sitting in the hell hole, wasting away. She had been there for a few hours, but was yet to receive a bond or a court date. Of course, the jail was unusually overcrowded that evening, so Serana supposed the slowness was acceptable, even if it was quite irritating. It wasn’t as if she’d be able to pay the bond, anyways. It would probably be an outrageous sum of money, given her crime. Was it really a crime, though? Murder, they had said, but the guy was a drug lord who had tried blackmailing her family, and despite the fact that she wasn’t on particularly good terms with her folks, Serana couldn’t allow the death threats to continue. In her opinion, the bastard deserved to die. He had ruined enough lives. _If only I had gotten away._ Oh, she had tried, but the cops didn’t play around with their pit maneuvers and Serana had ended up upside down in a ditch. Her truck was ruined. _What a shame._

After the nurse was finished with her, Serana was, naturally, interrogated. She gave her side of the story as quickly as she could and found herself in a lone cell when everything was said and done. They informed her that she would be separated from the others until everything was sorted out. That was perfectly fine with her as she quite enjoyed the isolation. Being a loner came naturally to an introvert such as herself. Serana turned to the mat they had cast onto the cold, hard floor and settled onto it, curling into the light, rather useless blanket that had been thrown into the room alongside her. _Ugh_. She felt like an animal. The treatment received in the jail was dehumanizing and, quite frankly, infuriating, but perhaps sleep would offer a brief reprieve.

With a sigh Serana shuffled around until she was as comfortable as she could imagine herself being in such a place. A fierce yawn parted her dried lips as she closed her eyes, thinking about just how shitty the world was. She often wished she hadn’t even been born, and perhaps that was the years’ worth of depression talking. _Life is really just ugh._ There was no other word for it _. Ugh._


	2. Speak Of The Devil

Her dream was strangely lucid and frightening. The sky was green; the ground was a sickly, oozing obsidian that seeped with emerald mist. The water didn’t seem like water at all, but a strange, viridian smoke that flowed like liquid and couldn’t be touched. The only thing Serana could remember was her name, as it was whispered to her by a thousand eerie voices that slowly drove her mad.

A creature drifted into view, a spider-like crest obscuring a face that seemed skeletal. Sharp teeth clicked together in a strange motion as bone-like appendages extending from the monster’s back twitched in an ominous display. It was a nightmare the likes of which Serana had never experienced, and yet the beast she faced felt strangely familiar. The atmosphere chilled when it spoke with a deep and powerful tone.

**“Ssssseranaaa. Serana…”** The entity paused, reaching out with gnarled fingers tipped with monstrous talons. She tried to jerk away, but found herself rooted in place. **“Here you find yourself within my realm, little fearling. I have been watching you.”** _Well, that’s creepy_. Serana couldn’t prevent the shiver that took hold of her body.

“Who are you? Why did you bring me here?” If she couldn’t escape, she at least wanted some damn answers.

**“I am what you want me to be. I am the darkness in your mind, the fear that clouds your judgement, which drives you to do unspeakable things…”** _Such as?_ **“Murrrrderrrr.”** Alright, the thing could read her mind, apparently. Wait, weren’t they already in her mind? It was a dream so the theory made sense. The demonic looking thing still hadn’t answered her second question. **“You are here because you want to be.”** _Haha, no. Hell no._

“That’s bullshit.” The guy was seriously terrifying. Why in Morgan Freeman’s not so blessed name would she want to be anywhere near such a hellscape? Serana felt like a juicy morsel in the claws of a wolf. The creature laughed, a sinister, serpentine noise that made her teeth rattle.

**“Do you want to go back to your cell?”** The question was a foolish one, to be honest. Serana most certainly did not want to go back to her new life behind bars, but at least there weren’t any spider skeleton monsters hanging around in jail. She didn’t need to respond. The monster nodded. **“Little Fearling, I promise you…you’ll be safe with me.”** Somehow Serana doubted that. **“Shhhh. Listen…why go back? Why not stay here? There are so many things I could offer you…freedom. Power.”** _Gee, what a tempting offer_. Go back to the reality she hated, or sell her soul to the devil?

On the other hand, why the hell not? It wasn’t as if Serana had anything to live for. She was going to be in prison for…probably a very long time. And that was if they ever got to her court date, and of course, making bond would surely be impossible. Serana was practically already in hell. _What’s a little adventure to spice up life a little?_ The monster extended a bony hand and Serana found herself capable of moving her upper body again. For a moment, she simply regarded the extended limb. It seemed like the most horrible idea someone could have ever come up with, and yet…and yet.

She had nothing to lose. She was already damned.

Serana reached forward and clasped her hand with the monster’s. The moment she touched his cold, dead flesh, a piercing, burning agony spread throughout her body. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound would come. She tried to flail but found herself paralyzed once more. The creature’s cruel laughter filled her consciousness until she was drowning in it. Suddenly, her vision flashed in a blinding green and all became silent once more.


	3. A New World

The first thing Serana noticed was the wind that brushed her skin. It was a strange sensation because she had not been expecting it. The second thing Serana noticed was the noise of pleasant birdsong and the stamping of…what…feet? Hooves? Finally, she was hit with a smell that reminded her of manure and hay. She recognized it immediately from the few weeks she had spent at a horse camp nearly four years ago. Her eyes shot open, surprised to find herself staring at a piercing blue sky. The sun punished her gaze almost immediately and Serana raised a hand to shadow her tender vision.

She found that she was lying down upon dirt and grass, and when she sat up, she was glad to find that all lingering pain from her little devil handshake had vanished. Standing, she brushed off her jeans (as Serana had yet to receive a jail uniform, given how slow jail processing had been on such an overcrowded night). Confusion washed over her when she found herself looking at a small paddock at the edge of a rather medieval looking village. When she twirled in a circle to discover more of her surroundings, Serana found only distant, towering snowcapped mountains and trees.

A chestnut horse eyed her warily from where it had probably been grazing.

“Hello there, Horse. I appear to be lost. And…I don’t even know what just happened.” The horse didn’t respond, of course. She would probably be better off inquiring about her location in the village, but then, there was nothing like this in America, so far as she knew. _God I hope I’m not in Germany._ She had no idea how to speak their language, but she knew such cozy little villages were common, or at least, she had heard as much. _How did I even get here?_

Serana walked a few paces toward the horse with a sigh. Perhaps, if the people in the village realized she didn’t know their language, they’d know something was wrong? One could only hope. The whole idea of what the hell was going on worried her though, and horses had always been a soothing presence, so she reached out to touch the chestnut when she was close enough. Her hand passed through its snout, and the creature shied away.

Serana drew back in surprise, of course, because _that shit isn’t natural_. When she looked at her hand, she found that it was almost ghostly, with a slight transparency. _Wonderful_. Serana wondered if it was possible that she was still dreaming. The world seemed so real and yet, at the same time, so distinctly…wrong. Frightened, she moved past the horse and over to the fence, pressing a hand to the wood only to find that the limb passed through the solid object with ease. She walked through the fence with a disturbed expression. _What the hell?_ Was she dead? Was she a ghost? Did ghosts have to breathe? She could touch herself easily enough, and she could feel the air on her skin and the ground beneath her feet. It hardly made any sense. Perhaps she would have better luck with other people.

Serana made her way toward the village at a brisk pace, anxious to discover her place in such a foreign landscape. She prayed to whoever would listen that she could find someone to help her, to ease the fear that curled frigid tendrils around her heart. The sky was clear, and the weather was warm and quite enjoyable, so it came as no surprise to find the villagers up and about. The paths through the buildings were made simply of dirt. Serana watched the proceedings of the townsfolk with odd curiosity, and found herself locked within a rather strange trance.

_‘Have to get this elfroot over to the healer before that poor boy dies from his illness.’_ A woman’s voice echoed within her thoughts. ‘ _I wish my son hadn’t run off with that wretched girl. It’s not safe for them to be out there alone.’_ A man’s worries. ‘ _Crestwood will starve without those supplies and the bandits won’t let any merchants through!’_ Another man cut into her mind. Serana found herself choking on their fears and anxieties in such a way that she felt the desperate need to escape whilst simultaneously desiring more, like an addiction. The feeling was strange…that with every little fright she listened to, she felt just a tiny bit more real. It hurt and yet it healed. She realized her heart was thrumming wildly within her chest as an electric energy coursed through her veins.

A woman screamed behind her, in the alley Serana had lingered within between two small cottages. She turned to find that the farmer had dropped her woven basket full of crops. _What strange clothing these people wear._ They all looked quite poor, Serana noticed. But that was beside the point. The elderly woman was pointing at her with wide, brown eyes as she screamed again. A dozen mental voices rose in frightful response within Serana’s own mind, none of them her own.

“D-demon! DEMON!” Without another word, the poor lady turned on her heel, nearly tripping over herself, and fled. _Demon? How terribly rude_. Perhaps she would have been offended if not for the sudden rush of…strength? The peasant’s genuine terror seemed to have sharpened her senses considerably. Serana felt oddly heavier than she had a moment before. The feeling was quite enjoyable, and rather addicting, to say the least.

The sound of pounding footsteps alerted her of the approaching group of rather pitiful looking men, all covered in dirt and wielding, what, pitchforks? Serana would have laughed if not for the idea of being impaled. More voices shattered her thoughts. ‘ _Blasted creature won’t kill me!’_ And, ‘ _a demon in the village? How? Why? Got to protect my family’…_ One of the men thrust his weapon toward her and Serana hissed, jerking backwards and away. Perhaps she should have been paying attention, because she found herself tripping over the old woman’s discarded basket. _How the hell do I pass through solid objects and still manage to trip on something?_ She fell rather ungracefully onto her ass with the four men looming over her with expressions of determination. Serana scrambled back to her feet, avoiding another attack with a childish squeal. _Nice one._

The eyes of the man that stepped toward her were wild, and Serana was starting to worry about her own health. _No, go away, go away, go away. You don’t see me, I’m not a thing that exists. Just go away, you don’t see me!_ Serana whirled as soon as she regained her balance and fled, but not before catching the confused words of the lead warrior. “Where the hell did it go?” They stumbled around in an apparent search effort as if they couldn’t see her sprinting away from them. _How very odd._

It wasn’t long after that Serana found herself laughing as she ran, faster than she ever could. Her legs didn’t burn and her breath didn’t come heavy. Her energy seemed so suddenly limitless that Serana leapt into the air with delight, dropping to her hands and knees in a grassy field with a snicker. She barely understood a single thing that was going on, and her level of stress was beyond its limits, but such a small pleasure could not be passed up and Serana was still drunk off of the villager’s fears.

She told herself it was all a dream. She remembered falling asleep in her cell and having the nightmare. She would wake back up in her cell soon, she was sure of it, so she liked the idea of taking what joy she could get from her dream world. Serana calmed her anxious thoughts with that comfort. _There’s no need to fear dreams._ And she believed it.


	4. Threads Of The Mind

Serana spent the rest of the day wandering the countryside. It was quite the beautiful place. A mighty fortress sat upon ancient cliffs nearby. It looked impenetrable. There were plenty of small caves to explore, flowery ponds to discover, and the lake was easy to enjoy. The water was freezing, and yet the cold didn’t bother her very much at all. She prowled the coast for anything of interest, but found very little asides from some colorful shells. Serana pocketed those with a grin. She had always enjoyed collecting shells.

There were a few people traveling about, some of which looked quite well off. Their weapons were intriguing, to say the least, typically staffs, swords, and daggers. Serana began to accept that her dream was definitely set in a medieval time zone. For the longest time, she simply sat upon a few high cliffs and watched the group of armored men below. They were certainly not from the village that Serana had learned was called Crestwood.

The entire area was quite interesting in that it was rather familiar. The name ‘Crestwood’ set off all kinds of bells within her mind, but despite saying the name out loud a few times, Serana could not remember why for the damned life of her. Walking around the lake gave her the worst case of Déjà vu. She sighed. It would come to her eventually.

The bandits below began move again. Serana had dubbed them bandits because their plans were not exactly of the friendly sort. She had already heard them discussing various way to attack and disable a convoy for effective looting. Apparently, there was supposed to be some kind of big caravan coming through in a few days and the bandits (of whom she learned made their base in the towering fortress nearby) were preparing a raid. She felt rather bad for Crestwood, living side by side with so many cruel people. Serana wondered if there was a way to help them out, but then she wasn’t exactly the courageous sort. Heroics weren’t her thing. Besides, the villagers hated her, and she didn’t even have a clue as to why, so she hardly felt obliged to lend them her aid.

Serana noticed one of the men below was an elf, judging by his pointed ears. She refused to let it surprise her. _It’s a dream, anything can happen._ She had to keep telling herself that. She had never had a lucid dream before, and nothing that felt so real, but honestly, she could think of no other explanation for all the crazy shit she had discovered.

More time passed and Serana found herself watching the sun set. It was quite the spectacular sight. She had never bothered to sit back and enjoy such a phenomenon before, as it was so common, she had just never felt the need to appreciate it. Now she wondered if all sunsets were as beautiful as the one she was witnessing.

Serana realized that, despite having spent several hours in Crestwood, she had not felt any bodily need. She seemed to require no food, drink, or sleep. She didn’t even need to piss, which was actually quite great because using the bathroom was always such an inconvenience for her. Of course, she was dreaming, so such things were normal, she supposed.

She observed another group of well armored men on the road below the cliff that she rested upon, shrouded in the darkness that was crawling its way into the evening sky. The men were heavily supplied and well-armed, but they didn’t appear to be bandits. They seemed to be looking for someone named Stroud and they called themselves Wardens. _Not my business_.

When the shadowy cover of night finally fell, Serana crept back into the village with the desire to explore unhindered. The place was fairly small, made up of rather pathetic looking homes, a barn and a paddock, and some merchant stalls. It was all very cozy, but it seemed like life was harsh on the townsfolk, so Serana was quite glad that she didn’t reside there in real life. They didn’t even have toilets and that seemed absolutely horrible.

Voices drifted from nearby, outside the village gates, and the black haired woman moved with silence to investigate the scene with bored interest. A group of three bandits surrounded a little girl, probably no more than six or seven. She was covered in blood and streaked with all kinds of other grime. The bandits chuckled as they batted at her with large hands and Serana knew well enough what they were planning as the child sobbed between them.

“Might be a little too small for ya, mate.” One man chuckled. Another shook his head with a grin.

“Nah.” The second, larger man replied.

Serana huffed, contemplating her actions. On one side, she felt a strange indifference. This was a dream, so why should she care what happens to the inhabitants? The other side of her reminded her that, even if it was just a dream, what kind of person would she be to leave a little girl at the mercy of such people? And besides, if it was just a dream, there was no fear in getting hurt. _Damn my sympathy to hell._ Serana sighed as the angel on her shoulder earned the upper hand. _Alright, alright._

She approached the scene as quietly as she could manage, feeling entirely naked as she saw the men’s gleaming weapons and realized she had none of her own. Hopefully, given the fact that she knew she was dreaming, Serana could just…convince them to leave? Scare them off? She’d figure it out when it came time. One of the men noticed her approach, because he signaled to the others and turned to face her. Serana fixed them with a spiteful glare and an ominous smirk that she hoped would sway their opinion of her apparent helplessness. She noticed almost immediately that one of the men took a step back, pale faced, eyes wide. Perhaps her fierce appearance was working?

“You are cowards.” Serana hissed at them, doing her best to sound tough. “You feed off the misfortune and pain of others.” The image of Batman came to her mind just then as she was reminded of the fact that he had spoken similar words in a movie once. He was one of her favorite heroes, and now she felt the sudden need to quote the shit out of that guy. “But your feast is nearly over. From this moment on, none of you are safe.” She supposed that if anyone was ever trying to sound scary, quoting Batman was a good place to start, and she had to admit that her voice, surprisingly dark and perhaps just a little unnatural, was particularly unnerving in that moment. There was a rather inhuman growl to it. The words of the men flashed through her thoughts a second later.

_Thing. Nightmare. Demon._ Very well. If they wanted her to be their demon, then Serana was more than willing to grant their fears. She found herself choking on the fright of the men just as she had with the villagers, but it was stronger now. Three men with their attention focused directly upon her. Serana wondered what they were seeing. Surely not the girl that she knew herself to be, for she hardly looked frightening. But she was in a dream, and Serana could be whatever the hell she wanted, so she focused on the vision of the devil from her dreams, a skeletal monstrosity with massive claws, sharp teeth, and a piercing, soulless gaze.

When she looked into their minds, she saw a needle and a thread. It was a strange thing, to weave visions before them, and yet it happened before Serana had even realized it, as naturally as breathing. She didn’t want to scare the girl, so she gave her the perception of her…just as she was, a woman in her early twenties with long hair of charcoal and eyes the color of priceless sapphires. The men were not as lucky as they saw the monster Serana had wished to become within their gaze. Plucking the strings of their minds was as simple as pulling the cords of a guitar. Their terror fueled her illusion and Serana grinned, because she found herself bathing in their fear with a sadistic sort of delight. _Dear god, what have I become?_ She wasn’t even Christian, but the thought crossed her mind regardless.

The three men voiced their nightmares with shouts of alarm and bulging eyes that reflected nothing but the primal desire to flee, and so they did, disappearing into the night with nothing to show for themselves but the foot prints they had left behind.

Serana approached the girl, releasing the threads of the bandits minds that she had somehow managed to manipulate. The child looked at her as if she were staring at a ghost, so she tried to assure the kid with a smile.

“Are you alright, child?” Her voice was gentle that time. The girl nodded with a cautious expression, still sniffling as she wiped tears from her face. “What are you doing out here all alone?”

“They took…took my mama, she told me to run and…and I did b-but they chased me.” The girl was full force sobbing again. It was kind of annoying, if she were to be honest, but Serana couldn’t blame her. If the bandits had her mother, the woman was probably already dead, and how the hell could she hope to help the kid, anyways? _Aw shit, what did I just get myself into?_


	5. Realization

The girl’s name was Annie. It was kind of cute, actually. The child had tried to hug her, but realized with dismay that she passed right through her ghostly form. Serana wasn’t particularly fond of hugs, so it didn’t bother her at all, but the girl had cried over it for another ten minutes. Serana still wasn’t sure what to do with her. Take her into the village? And say what, ‘hey I’m that girl you tried to murder earlier, but this time I brought a friend?’ She supposed that was unfair. They were probably just frightened by her transparent appearance. Annie seemed entirely normal. Perhaps they’d accept her?

A steady rain had begun to fall from the dark sky. She didn’t pay it much mind, as the cold didn’t seem to bother her very much, but Annie trembled and Serana knew she would be better off inside.

“Y-you are…gunna help get mama back, r-right?” It was the second time she had asked the question. Serana was still trying to think of a response. She sighed with defeat a moment later. _Ah, what the hell._ It wasn’t as if she had anything better to do and she’d probably be waking up to her harsh jail cell soon, anyways.

“Sure child, I’ll see what I can do.” It didn’t help that Annie had no idea where they had taken her mother, but the woman’s guess was that she was locked in that rather imposing fortress at the edge of the dam. Serana reached down to grasp the girl’s hand before realizing once more that she was incapable of doing so and instead motioned for the child to follow her into the town called Crestwood. “Just knock on these doors until someone comes out to help you, okay?” The little girl nodded and proceeded to do as she was asked. Serana stayed near to watch, though lingering within the cool embrace of the shadows to avoid the gazes of any hostile villagers.

The first door Annie knocked on was answered by a husky man, who immediately called for his wife. The woman hovered over her husband’s shoulder to peer down at the girl with a look of pity.

“Oh, you poor thing.” And then the couple allowed the girl inside their dimly lit home, and Serana smiled with a sense of satisfaction that she was not used to feeling. Somehow, she knew that they would treat the child well. They were…not as sharp as the bandits. Tender, and kind, they would keep little Annie safe and warm. She blinked away the odd trance she had fallen into and proceeded to leave town once more.

The rain grew harsher as the night passed on; beating the earth with merciless daggers of frigid liquid. A full scale thunderstorm had blown over the valley. Thunder clashed with streaks of electricity in a violent display that was tense and magnificent. Then the ground shook as an emerald light shot across the lake and a hundred, blood chilling shrieks split the air. Serana froze, uncertain as to how to respond, before deciding that she didn’t appear to be in immediate danger and she could continue on with her search. As far as she knew, these things could happen around Crestwood all the time. Maybe it was normal? The air grew thick with a decaying scent that made her gag. If such a thing was normal, she wondered why the hell people would choose to live around such a foul place. It was like the lake had opened up one big, rotten green ass hole and was just shitting all over the place. _Ugh, whatever_. Serana lingered for a few minutes more before leaving toward her destination.

She made her way over to where the bandit fortress stood, though Serana maintained a fair distance to insure that she remained unseen. For the rest of the night, she attempted to find some way into the castle without being seen. She needed to find a good path for the mother, because as far as she knew, she was the only one capable of phasing through solid objects like a ghost.

Serana searched the sides, coming across the rather brutal gallows, which smelled quite rotten. There didn’t appear to be a safe place to jump down from the walls so Serana made her way around the back. She found a door there, though it looked to be locked. Still, she walked through the wood like the badass ghost demon that she was, hoping she’d find the key to it on the way out, for the mother’s sake. The room on the other side of the door was terribly dark and dusty enough to make her cough. Serana could see just enough to get by, and after a few moments, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light quite well. She could probably add ‘superb night vision’ to her list of abnormalities, or powers.

Serana found some more stairs which she quickly traversed, climbing up into the fortress proper. There was another locked door that the woman wouldn’t be able to get through. _Damn._ Jumping off the high walls might be their only option. _Why am I even worrying? This is a dream._ Jumping off the walls would probably be fine. Serana phased through the door and out into the courtyard, or rather, just above the courtyard. She also nearly walked right into a bandit, who was staring at her almost quizzically, as if unsure of what to do. Briefly Serana wondered, through her fear, if weapons would pass through her just as other things did…but she didn’t exactly want to find out, and she’d never be able to get the mother out of the fortress with a hundred bandits on her tail.

_Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me. Just forget me. Go away. I’m not here._ Of course, such thoughts were stupid, because she was not invisible; she was just a bit transparent. And yet…the man’s gaze seemed to cloud a moment before he turned away to continue as if Serana had never existed. She was…a bit surprised to find out that her thoughts had worked, before she started to feel dumb. _It’s a dream you dumbass. Shit happens the way you want it to._ She shouldn’t have to keep reminding herself to that fact. _Ugh._

Asides from feeling incredibly stupid, Serana walked away from the encounter unscathed. She explored the fortress a bit slowly, after that, still a bit paranoid of being seen. She continued to repeat to herself that nobody could see her as she moved, and the trick seemed to work because even as Serana found herself waving wild jazz hands in front of a bandit, he refused to acknowledge her presence. She wondered if she could hide the mother the same way, because that was really the only way she was going to get out of the fortress. It was worth a try.

Serana eventually found another set of stairs which lead farther up into the castle. It was there that she found the woman, drawn to her somehow, as if the world knew exactly what she was looking for. _A song that is softer than all the others. Motherly. Protective._ The older woman was hidden, bound in rope within a small storage room in which the door was, wonderfully, unlocked. Her skin was badly bruised and marked with lacerations. Her eyes widened when Serana moved into view, but her gag prevented her from speaking.

“Hello. I, uh…guess I’m here to set you free.” Serana was never really good with people, being a loner and all. _What are you even supposed to say, in such a situation?_ She moved to the older woman’s bonds, trying to figure out the best way to free her. Her wrists and ankles had been rubbed raw by the rope and Serana’s hands passed through each time she tried to loosen them. It was terribly frustrating. Serana clearly remembered tripping over the basket in the village the day before and yet her hands seemed as ghostly as ever. “Trying to, at least.”

There was a commotion outside. It sounded like a fight, steel clashing against steel, shouts of panic, pain, and determination. The woman beneath her trembled with a fear that was almost intoxicating as Serana stood to shield her from the door. The sounds of battle grew quickly closer. If any of the bandits came crashing through the door, she had decided to scare them off the same way she had done while protecting Annie.

“My name is Serana, by the way. Your daughter is safe. Warm and secure. She wanted me to come look for you.” Serana glanced back at the bound mother on the ground with a reassuring smile. “I’ll make sure you get to see her again.” The woman’s terror seemed to fade a little at that, much to Serana’s disappointment. But at least the mother felt a bit safer in the ghostly woman’s presence. The last thing Serana wanted was for the mother to chase her around with a pitchfork as well.

The fighting went on for a few more minutes before the air grew eerily silent. Serana continued to listen for signs of danger. A moment later, and she became aware of the sound of footsteps approaching the door. She hissed in anticipation, waiting for the inevitable. She had no idea who the bandits had been fighting, but she couldn’t help but worry that they might have won. The door swung open with a creak, and she was braced for a fight.

For a second, the man that walked into the room seemed to hesitate. He watched her with a gaze of piercing pale blue that mirrored her own, and the intensity of his look was quite unsettling. His gaunt features were shadowed by a wide brimmed hat, which looked incredibly ridiculous and yet, at the same time, cast an ominous darkness across the man’s expression in an appearance that screamed danger. There were people behind him, shifting restlessly.

“Cole?” A female voice perked up, surprisingly young. Serana barely noticed, because the moment the name had been spoken, her head began to spin with recognition. _Cole._ And then she began to wonder how she hadn’t seen it before. _Crestwood. The Rift._ Her mouth opened, and closed again, because she had no idea what to say in response to what stood before her. She simply observed as Cole moved forward to allow the group to shuffle inside. _Solas. Cassandra._ Serana didn’t recognize the female elf, but her markings stuck out like a sore thumb. _A Dalish….The Inquisition._ It had been a little over a year since Serana had played the game, and her memory had always been spotty, but the force of which it all rushed back to strike her was astounding. Serana took a step back with a whisper of air parting her lips.

“Compassion.” When Serana saw Cole, it was entirely different from his in-game counterpart. In the game, he was simply a companion that Serana knew to be a spirit. Often, she found him incredibly adorable, but other than that, he was merely a character. Here, in front of her, he radiated… _light_. Not physically, but his very presence seemed to change the air. It was…soothing, in an odd way and it felt so real. The spirit mimicked her movement. When Serana stepped away, he stepped forward, and she was very much aware of just how lethal the man could be. She could see the daggers in his hands, they gleamed like flesh shredding razors. Another step back. He takes another step forward.

“You remember.” The spirit continued to advance whilst his companions eyed the scene with obvious interest. “It’s alright. You’re trying to help. I won’t hurt you.” He moved to sheathe his daggers. Even so, he was getting a bit too close, and Serana hissed at him in response. Cole disregarded the noise as he stepped mere inches away.

She tried to move back again, but the man’s reflexes were beyond her comprehension. His arm lashed out to snatch her wrist, and Serana gasped with surprise. He…was touching her. The feeling of his fingers on her skin made her feel so much more…solid.

“You…can touch me?” Serana had not realized how starved for contact she had become, as his hands moved to the sides of her head.

“Yes.” Serana stared into his expressionless features, but his eyes were far too intense to allow for maintained contact. “The little girl, Annie. She was hurting, but you helped. You made those men afraid of you.” Serana nodded in response to his words, though it wasn’t an easy gesture with his hands clasped around both sides of her head as if he feared she would flee the moment she could. She probably would.

“I can make anyone afraid of me.” Perhaps it was a warning, in case Cole got any…deadly ideas. Serana was unsure if he approved of her actions or not. She had helped, but she had also harmed, and nightmares were meant to torment.

“You feed off of fear. It makes you stronger.” Compassion moved away, finally releasing her from his tight grip. She found that she missed it almost immediately. How was it that he could touch her, and no one else?

A heavily accented voice interrupted just then, and Serana looked over Cole’s shoulder to find that Cassandra wore a stormy expression. “She’s a demon.” The tone was dark, and Serana noticed the Seeker was pointing her sword in her direction. _Fucking wonderful._ Was she really a demon? Was that why she could do all the weird shit she had been doing? Cole turned to face the woman with a frown.

“But she helped. She wanted to help the mother, too.” Oh right, Serana had practically forgotten about her. She looked over to find that the female elf, whom Serana assumed to be the Inquisitor, given the green mark on her hand, was working on releasing the captive woman from the ropes. She was making hasty progress.

Cassandra took an aggressive step toward her and Serana raised her hands in a sign of surrender. “Woah, woah, woah, come on, you couldn’t hurt me even if you tried, so how about we just…be friends?” That was a bluff. Serana had already assumed weapons would pass through her just as anything else would, but that was an untested theory.

Cole stepped between the two a moment later. “Helping isn’t bad!” Ah, so the super lethal spirit of compassion was on her side? Excellent. That was a load off her shoulders.

“All demons are bad, and she’s already trying to tempt me.” The Seeker looked like she was just as willing to cut down Cole as she was her. Hell, she probably was. Serana wondered if Cole was getting as agitated as she was. Did Cole ever get agitated?

“She’s not trying to tempt you; she just doesn’t want you to hit her.” The spirit turned to the bald elf mage of whom Serana definitely recognized as Solas. She had romanced him in one of her playthroughs. It had been heartbreaking, and knowing that he was an ancient elven god did not help. “Solas!” The voice that came from Cole’s mouth was almost a whine. It was adorable, really.

The elf watched her with a gaze that could only be described as predatory. It was rather unsettling. “What do you call yourself?” Solas inquired, and it took her a moment to realize what he was asking for. _A name. Duh_.

“Serana. And I’m no threat to any of you, honestly. I didn’t even know I was a demon!” Cole nodded in response, confirming her words to be true. Cassandra wasn’t having it though, that bitch. Serana could tell she was going to attack her the moment before she did, although she had no idea how. She slipped to the side as the seeker pivoted around Cole with a thrust of her sword.

_You can’t see me, you can’t see me, you can’t see me._ Serana couldn’t fight, so instead she disappeared, just like she had with the bandits. The Seeker looked around in confusion. “Where did it go?” Suspicious eyes turned to Cole, who shrugged, but Serana knew that he was aware of exactly where she was, because his piercing gaze drilled holes into her skull as he stared. _Creepy._

“You scared her away.” Cole’s voice was almost accusing as he turned to leave the room. Cassandra huffed with irritation as Solas watched her with a critical eye.

“That was entirely uncalled for.” The elf practically oozed irritation. “She meant us no harm.”

“She’s a demon. They always mean harm. And you heard Cole, she feeds off of fear.” The woman held firm. Serana really felt like punching her in the face. Finally, the Inquisitor joined the conversation, with the mother hovering at her side, thankful for her release.

“I trust Cole’s judgement, Cassandra. If she meant us any harm, he would have killed her. I would ask that you refrain from attacking everything you disapprove of In the future.” The Seeker glared at the elf as she spoke, but didn’t bother responding. “Now, if we’re done here, let’s get this woman to Crestwood.”


	6. Living Dead

The air had contracted an electrical attribute that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand. Goosebumps were scattered across her flesh, but they had not risen due to the cold. There was a malice lingering within the atmosphere as the dark haired woman’s gaze scanned the surface of the lake where the rift tossed black water which had receded with the opening of the dam.  She remembered, now, that the dead were crawling, torn from peaceful rest to lunge at anything that moved.

She still lingered within the fortress, perched upon the wall from which she could observe the shadowy landscape from. The Inquisitor and her companions had already left a few hours ago, and even the warm, soothing presence of Cole, who had hovered nearby for quite some time afterward, unseen by her, had faded away. She wondered what the spirit of compassion had to gain by watching her, but she assumed that he was probably just as curious as she was.

Dawn was breaking, but the dark clouds shrouded the sun. She felt safe behind the firm stone of the castle. Though the doors had been blasted open, no walking corpses had found their way inside just yet. They would come soon, she knew. A cool wind swept past her features, and Serana sighed. Despite having been crouched within her position for nearly two hours, her muscles did not ache for rest. She had taken the time to analyze each and every one of her memories of the Dragon Age series. She hardly remembered Origins or the second game that took place in Kirkwall, but most of Inquisition was still relatively fresh to her. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she came to recall. Not every little quest and name was remembered, but nearly anything major was easy to grasp.

She supposed that should relieve her, if not for the other problem. She had come to accept that she was a demon. It was the only thing that really made sense to her. The world she now resided within was as real as her former, and most of her idea on the situation being merely a dream had drifted away like leaves caught in the grasp of a fierce gale.

She wondered, then, what she would do. What was her purpose? Would she simply exist as little more than a ghost, hated and feared by nearly every person she came across? Now she understood that the danger of the world was all very real. What could hurt her? Could demons die? Wisdom had died, hadn’t she? And who in the world would possibly accept her for what she was? _Cole._ Perhaps she could seek out the help of Compassion, who saw her for what she was and yet stayed his aggression? _Solas._ The Dread Wolf would find her intriguing, no doubt, but she wasn’t certain that she supported his desire to destroy the world. Serana was sure that he would kill her if she got in his way, for the man was very driven.

A groan sounded off behind her. So deep in her thoughts had she dwelled that her perception had become severely obscured. It would seem one of the dead had stumbled upon her position. _Cold, thoughtless, driven by a force it cannot understand, for it is dead, soulless, a mere construct with a bloodlust that is not of its own mind._ The monstrosity was foul, mostly skeletal, with what little skin it had gray and rotted. The smell that rolled off decaying flesh was atrocious.

It faced her without eyes, and yet seemed to judge every little movement she made despite willing herself to remain unseen. Its very presence was unnatural. It was _wrong_. With an inhuman snarl, the corpse lunged, and Serana slipped from her perch to dance to the side. She skipped past the monster and took off across the battlements. Other undead had begun filtering into the fortress without her knowledge, and she was astounded by how quiet they could be.

As she swept past another corpse, it reached out to claw at her with cracked nails. She didn’t have time to avoid the hit, so she took the instant as an opportunity to pray that the strike would pass through her ghostly form. It seemed to have worked. The arm passed through her, though there was an uncomfortable tingle where the scratch would have been. Perhaps it was just the confusion of her nerves, or perhaps it was the supernatural aspect of the corpses. Either way, being near them made her terribly uncomfortable, and there were no strings to pull within their absent minds. These were creatures that she couldn’t frighten off.

As she surged down the many stairs of the castle, doing her best to avoid the monsters reaching for her, she sought the pair of daggers from the cold hands of a dead bandit. After wrestling the blades free, she moved to unstrap the leather sheathes as quickly as she could before fastening them to her jeans in the best way that she manage. Then she was off again. Running with daggers probably wasn’t the best idea, but she was in a rush to escape the dead that were really starting to creep her out. She wasn’t even sure that she’d be able to hit anything with her newfound weapons, given her ghostly nature, but she felt more securing having the blades around.

For what reason she did not know, Serana felt the need to locate Annie and her mother. She was certain that the Inquisitor and her companions would have already insured their safety, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. Given her lack of fatigue, it didn’t take long to sprint to the small settlement of Crestwood. She faltered when she saw the makeshift warriors at the gates, striking at a pair of undead with pitchforks and axes. They were the same men that had chased her out of the village before, and they would likely be very unhappy about seeing her again.

She focused on remaining unseen as she slipped past, satisfied when the tactic seemed to have worked. None of the men noticed her presence as she entered Crestwood. Asides from the people defending their lives, the town looked almost deserted. She assumed most of the peasants were huddled within their homes. Serana located the cottage that she had left Annie at and phased through the door to peer inside. The husband clung to his wife in a dark corner, trying to stay as quiet as they could. Annie and her mother were nowhere to be found.

Serana glared, uncertain as to what might have happened. She allowed herself to be seen by the couple and they whimpered in response. She didn’t give them time to speak.

“Where’s the girl?” Her eyes hardened into unyielding shards of ice. The pair held each other tighter, quivering.

“Go away you…you thing! There is nothing for you here!” The man was putting on a brave face for his wife, but Serana knew he was afraid. His terror was intoxicating. She took a few steps forward, curling her mental influence into their minds with a hiss of frustration, dragging out their worst fears to lay them before their eyes. For the man, she became his wife, rotted as the corpses outside, bloodied and hungry for flesh. For the woman, Serana became her abusive father, forcing memories of her brutal childhood to the front of her mind. Serana sneered as she tore into their nightmares for more of the horror they could offer her.

“WHERE IS SHE?” While the voice was different for each of them, it had the same effect. They flinched and squirmed as Serana advanced. Finally, the woman, who had broken down into sobs, was able to respond in a quivering tone.

“P-please…the Inquisitor…they took her. Please…” The old woman was telling the truth, Serana could tell, so she released their minds from her grasp and lingered for a moment more to observe the aftermath. The two trembled, wrapped in each other’s arms as if the very world was ending around them. It basically was. Without another word, Serana left their home.

At that point, she was uncertain as to what to do. The Inquisition would take care of little Annie and her mother, she was certain of it. Still, it was possible that the group had been attacked and possibly even hurt on the way to one of their camps, one of which she knew was nearby. Serana moved through the dark village at a fairly slow pace despite the idea, however. She still had a lot on her mind, like what exactly her future was going to be. She was a stranger in a world she had grown to love. She didn’t belong in Thedas. Still, she supposed her newfound life was better than one spent in a cold cell, even if she was damned to walk as a ghost forever.


	7. Compassion's Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glad to see people are enjoying this. <3

As she walked the road that led away from the village and toward the Inquisition camp that she hoped would be present, the ominous storm clouds that rolled across the sky began to break apart and she was allowed the first glimpse of sunshine of the day. A light rain still drizzled from what remained of the rapidly weakening storm, and the pink dawn that gleamed off the surface of the slick landscape with a slightly misty haze was a sight of beauty to behold. She couldn’t deny the pleasant feeling of warmth that enveloped her as she took a moment to bask in a ray of sunlight.

After taking a few minutes to marvel at her surroundings, Serana continued along the muddy path toward her destination. The sound of hoof beats up ahead reminded her to hide her presence, as four massive horses swept past the rocks obscuring her view to leap onto the path a few yards ahead of her. She recognized the group as the Inquisitor’s party, quickly cantering back toward where she assumed their camp would be.

Serana jogged to catch up, each step splattering her jeans with even more mud. She never had an issue with getting dirty, but she had no other clothes to wear asides from what she already had on. That would probably become a problem in the very near future. The group on the horses was out of view after they passed over a small rise in the landscape. When Serana rushed over the crest of the hill after them, she was surprised to find that that Cole had dismounted and seemed to be waiting for her. The others didn’t appear to have noticed, or they didn’t mind, because they continued on at a canter with Cole’s black steed following close behind.

Warily, Serana approached. She should have expected the spirit to notice her presence nearby, and she was very much aware of the less than pleased expression that had begun crawling across his features at the sight of her. At least he hadn’t unsheathed his weapons, and hers were still strapped to her waist as well. All was fine so long as neither tried killing the other, she suspected. She hesitated to get too close, however, and lingered a few steps away from Compassion.

The man frowned for an instant, before he blinked out of view. Serana hardly had time to process the action before he was upon her, hovering mere inches away with a stormy gaze.

“You hurt them.” The spirit’s voice was surprisingly harsh. Serana, on the other hand, was quite confused. She moved to take a step back, but a sudden, iron grip on her wrist informed her of just how well he had reacted to that. This time, he didn’t move to clasp his palms around her face. His fingers curled around her arm in such a way that let her know that he was less than happy with her. _Pfft. Well fuck him, then._

“What?” She snapped. Instead of hearing Cole’s explanation, she was suddenly assaulted by a driving force inside of her head, forcing the images of her crime to her mind. _Stark, horrible pain, he raises his hand to strike her and she screams. ‘Maker, please help me!’ But there is no reprieve; the man bears down on her with blind fury, fists striking whatever flesh they could find._ She immediately recognized the man as the old woman’s father from the village, of whom she had taken on the appearance of in the hopes of getting information. _The stench of dead flesh, long past the age of living, dried blood staining tattered clothes. He can’t fight her, but she’s going to kill him. He loves her too much._ The man’s wife. He was so afraid of her turning into one of the walking dead and Serana had made that fear come to life.

The images receded, but she stood by her ground. She had just wanted to insure little Annie and her mother were safe. What did it matter if she had caused the older couple a bit of suffering as a result? She had only been trying to keep Annie safe. Cole’s grip tightened. She’d probably bruise.

“That’s not how you help people!” The spirit responded to her thoughts with a snarl.

“Well then I guess we both know that I’m not a spirit of compassion then, huh? Guess helping people just isn’t in my nature! Never was.” She tried to jerk her arm away, but he held her steady with a glare.

“You helped Annie.” He reminded her in a softer tone. “Her life was gentle and yours was harsh, but you helped her because there’s good inside you.”

“You don’t know anything about me, and my life isn’t your business, Compassion.” This time, she succeeded in tearing herself away from him, taking several steps back to fixate a cruel and hateful gaze upon Cole. He made no move to recapture her.

“If you try to hurt innocent people again, I’ll stop you.” His voice was dark, angry, and with that the spirit was gone. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared, and she could no longer feel his presence. She was shaken by his threat, but ultimately decided to ignore it. She was addicted to the fear in others, this she was willing to admit, and she would use her abilities to get what she needed, whether Compassion liked it or not. She did not share Cole’s gentle nature, and she never would. If push came to shove, she’d kill him before he could kill her.


	8. His Name Is Ace

For the longest time, she had hesitated to approach the Inquisition camp where she knew Cole would be. She had found a pleasant spot to linger on the cliffs above the camp, and watched the group pack up their belongings below. They looked as if they were preparing to leave, and Serana was debating on whether or not she would follow them. It wasn’t as if she had anywhere else to go, and so long as she remained hidden, Cassandra wouldn’t make any efforts to stab her. Annie and her mother were with them, helping with little chores around the camp. The scene made Serana smile.

It was around midday when the group was finally prepared to leave, and given that the new world, or perhaps just her new state of existence, seemed to deal with time differently than on Earth, Serana had been perfectly content to watch the Inquisition’s proceedings. She noticed that Solas maintained a closeness to the Inquisitor that could only be described as…affectionate. Perhaps even protective. She wouldn’t pry; though she hoped to one day befriend the Dread Wolf. He could turn out to be a powerful ally.

When the group had mounted their horses, with Annie sharing a saddle with the Inquisitor and her mother with Cassandra, they set off at a swift trot. Serana slipped down the rocks and back onto the path so that she could jog after the group. It was a good thing that she did not appear to grow tired, because she wouldn’t have been able to keep up if she did. She could only assume that Cole was aware of her presence, and was tolerating it, which she was also thankful for. She briefly worried that if she managed to piss off the spirit again, the Seeker would become the least of her problems.

They traveled for nearly three hours without rest at a pace that she could match easily enough. The first time they had stopped, it was because Cole had asked them to. She prayed that he would not betray her invisible presence within the group as he dismounted, and the others watched him expectantly. Luckily, the spirit seemed content to ignore her entirely, moving off into the woods where she could make out the distinct noise of some kind of animal, whining like a small dog. It was suffering.

A few minutes later, and Cole returned from the undergrowth with a fennec fox wrapped within his arms, soothing the creature with gentle words. He carried the canine toward the group and each member seemed quite patient for allowing such a thing, in her opinion, though the soft, wide eyes of the fox quickly won her over. Serana couldn’t help but regret her momentary indifference toward the animal when she realized that there was a snare wrapped tightly around its neck. Such a cruel hunting device, it seemed only sadists could use it. She could hardly understand why anyone would want to brutally suffocate such an innocent creature to death in their traps.

Cole glanced over to her with a slight smirk curling his lips before slicing the line around the small beast’s throat with one of his daggers. The fox kind of reminded her of a dog. She had once possessed a hound of her own, a powerful and loyal Great Dane of all black fur. She had called him Ace, and she had loved that dog until the day he had died. She had been devastated, after the cancer had taken her closest friend and brother, torn him so harshly from her life. She still hadn’t gotten over the grief, but the pain of it was numb. The memory didn’t sting like it once had.

After the snare had been removed, Cole gave the creature an affectionate pat before standing with the critter held within his arms. He approached Solas with a hopeful expression, and the tall elf sighed, because he seemed to know exactly what it was that the spirit desired. Leaning over on his muscular, bay stallion, the Elvhen unlaced his pack and pulled out a small elfroot potion, of which he offered to a grateful looking Cole.

Soon they were on their way again, as the spirit held the fox between his legs on his horse’s saddle, caring for the beast with a satisfied expression. Serana walked just behind the obsidian steed, trying to resist the urge to run up and pet the damned little fox.

The second time they had stopped was about an hour later, because Annie was hungry. The group had decided that they would all sit back and enjoy a small lunch that consisted of dried, salted meat, bread, and cheese. Serana still hadn’t felt any hunger since her arrival, and sighed as she watched the scene, somewhat curious as to whether or not she could eat at all. Cole had found himself a shady patch beneath the trees off to the side of the trail, and was showering the recovering fox with affection.

A half hour later and they were off once more. Serana was enjoying the opportunity to explore her new surroundings with wide blue eyes of wonder. A deer bounded across their path; stirring the dirt on the trail they followed. Birds soared across the skies overhead, and she was glad to find that the weather had cleared considerably. She was quite happy that the rain had ceased before they had left the valley of Crestwood, and it didn’t look as if they would be getting any more bad weather anytime soon.

Given that in the game, traveling from one place to another was as easy as pushing a button, Serana had no idea just how long it would take the party to reach Skyhold, which she assumed was where they were going. Oblivious to her presence (asides from the ever vigilant spirit of compassion), the group acted quite positively toward one another. The Inquisitor, who she had learned was a Lavellan (of course) often spent her time prying and teasing with Solas, who seemed quite happy with the Dalish’s presence. It was a strange sight to behold, considering the Elvhen’s dislike for elves. Serana believed his distaste was perfectly understandable. She wasn’t very fond of the Dalish, either.

As they drew closer to the base of the Frostback Mountains, the group came across a small village just as dusk began to fall. Annie was radiating with excitement, and Serana was curious as to why. As soon as they entered the small settlement of what appeared to be farmers, a Shepard approached the group at a fast pace and a broad grin. His gaze was set upon the girl and her mother. The Inquisitor dismounted to help little Annie out of the saddle whilst Cassandra did the same for the mother, who quickly made her way over to the older human man to fling her arms around his neck.

“Arrin!” The mother laughed with joy. Annie approached the pair, just as eager for an embrace as her mother had been. Somehow, Serana was aware that Arrin was the father and the husband, and the thought was soothing. They would be taken care of once more, without the fear of bandits or undead, for the village seemed quite sheltered. The reunited family invited the Inquisitor and her companions over to their farmhouse for dinner, but Lavellan refused the offer as politely as she could. They still had quite a ways to go and they wanted to cover as much ground as they could before dark. The family understood, and after several grateful ‘thank you’ and ‘bless you’ statements, they parted ways, and the group rode out onto the road once more.

Serana watched over her shoulder as Annie danced around her father with glee, somewhat jealous for the affection that she had so often craved as a child. Her family had never been particularly kind to her. She doubted that they would react the same if she ever went missing. A sudden thought struck her mind, just then, as she wondered what had happened to her on Earth. Had she died? Was she in a coma? Had she simply disappeared? She may never know.

Serana supposed it was better that way. She gave one last glance toward Annie, sad to watch the child leave, though unsure as to why. She was disappointed that she had been unable to say goodbye, given the fact that nobody could see her through sheer force of her will. She wondered if the girl would remember her at all, or if she even cared.

“She won’t forget the way you helped her. She wanted to thank you.” Cole’s voice startled her out of her thoughts, and she noticed it had done the same for the other party members as they glanced at the spirit in confusion. Serana ducked her head, somewhat comforted by the words.

When night finally fell, the group moved off the path and into a rocky clearing nearby. It was there that they dismounted and began to set up camp. Serana climbed up an ancient looking oak tree to rest within the grasp of moss covered limbs, watching those below with boredom. It only took them about a half hour to get the tents up, the horses tethered, and a fire going. Then they all rested around the light of the blaze, taking part in a dinner that was much the same as their lunch. As before, Cole sat alone with his fox. She was surprised when Cassandra called the spirit over to her.

“Cole, are you planning on keeping that animal?” The Seeker questioned out of genuine curiosity.

“Flash of teeth snapping for soft fur, rushing to escape and a flash as the line closes around the throat. Blood seeps, breath struggles, the pain is blinding and he can’t get free. He doesn’t want to go back to that.” Cole ran a hand down the canine’s small back.

“Is that a yes?” Cassandra huffed, clearly irritated by her inability to understand the words that parted the spirit’s lips. This time, Cole simply nodded. “Well then, I suppose you should give him a name.” Serana leaned in with interest at the warrior’s words.

“Yes.” Compassion nodded, staring into the distance for a moment. “Ace.”

Her blood froze as she glared at the spirit. Fresh memories of her own dog sharpened old wounds and Serana gasped. Her eyes watered.

“That sounds like a wonderful name, Cole.” The Inquisitor joined the conversation with a grin, and Solas nodded with agreement. Serana, on the other hand, was not all that pleased. She slipped from the tree with a huff, marching out into the darkness of the night until the fire of the camp was no longer visible and all she had as a companion was the ever present cool air and the crickets that sang their chorus. She managed to find a small clearing with a miniscule pond fed by a trickling stream. It was there that she rested.

She sat there for what seemed to be a few hours before the soothing presence of Cole drifted into her thoughts. Serana growled at him, searching for his location from where she had sat in the grass. She found the rogue crouched several feet away, watching her intently, the fox within his arms.

“Get out of here.” Serana demanded in a harsh tone. She expected him to obey her wishes and leave, if he desired to help, so she turned to look back out at the dark water with a sigh. The spirit’s presence withdrew and she lingered there in silence for the next few minutes. There was a disturbance in the undergrowth nearby, and she looked over her shoulder with a glare to find the culprit. Anger burned within her mind as she discovered that Cole had shuffled a few feet closer to her position, seemingly withholding that soft aura of his. “Get lost!” And he did, shifting out of view in the blink of an eye, along with the fox.

Serana returned her focus to the pool, reaching over to stir it’s depths with a small finger. Another little noise alerted her of his approach, and once more she peered over her shoulder to catch Cole mid-step. He froze. “What the hell, Cole?!” The spirit disappeared again. Serana monitored the area for a little longer, certain that Compassion still lingered nearby. The sound of rippling water had her turning back to the pond with a snarl.

“Damn it! Leave me-“ She went rigid as soft paws pressed against her back, interrupting her words, a small tongue drawing across her cheek. The fox crawled its way over her shoulder and into her lap with a gentle whine, and her irritation melted away at the sight of the creature. She ran her fingers through his soft fur, brushing long ears and a thick, furry tail. The beast curled against her in response. Damn, it was cute. It gave her hand a few licks as she cupped its small face, a grin parting her features.

“Ace.” The voice that was her own was nearly a whisper as Serana hugged the little fox to her chest. _His name is Ace._ It had been a long time since she had enjoyed the presence of a furry friend. Still grinning, Serana leaned down to kiss the top of the animal’s head.

Behind her, the spirit of compassion smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your support, guys!


	9. I Am Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I've had a few chapters done for a while, but I never got around to proofreading them do to some real life issues. I'll post another today.

She had spent the night curled up with the fox, for it hadn’t been long before Ace had fallen asleep within her grasp. Though she wasn’t tired, she had laid beside the creature until the sun had begun to peek over the jagged horizon. The others would be rising soon, and given her ignorance for the landscape, Serana had no interest in being left behind, which the group wouldn’t hesitate to do, given the fact that nobody asides from Cole knew she was around.

She picked up the fox, who whined with gentle protest, before moving back toward the temporary camping location. Before she got too close, however, the spirit of compassion appeared before her just a few feet ahead. Serana placed Ace upon the ground as lightly as she could, and watched with some bit of jealousy as Cole reclaimed his friend for the day.

The Inquisitor and her companions were on the road again only an hour later. Serana couldn’t complain, partly because she was remaining hidden from the others, but also because she was so terribly bored and her muscles ached for action. The forest they found themselves in was relatively interesting, at least, albeit peaceful. Nothing jumped out of the shadows to attack, and even the wolves seemed content to remain out of the group’s path, which was an odd turn from the savage beasts of the game.

They passed a small stream around midday and the party refilled their water skins before carrying on. Soon the trees began to fade away and they found themselves in a relatively clear valley. Serana heard something about cutting across the Hinterlands to seal a rift, and felt herself smirk with excitement. _Finally!_ Despite being unable to get in on the action herself, watching would likely prove to be quite entertaining.

Eventually, they came upon said rift, writhing and twisting in on itself just below a small cascade of water. Apparently, the demons there were abnormally powerful, which was why the Inquisitor had been unable to close it the first time they had traveled through the area. The horses were dismounted and secured (along with Ace) to a small tree nearby before the Inquisitor took her followers and descended down the hill and into the shallow river.

The demons, who had seemed relatively passive before their arrival, screamed with fury at the hostile approach. One of the foul looking creatures, of whom hovered just feet off the ground, cast a shower of frigid wind toward Lavellan. Solas was quick to bring up his staff and throw a barrier over the party before Cassandra rushed the monstrous entity.

A fiery rage demon burst from the earth to block the Seeker’s path, swinging a blazing arm in her direction. The staggering hit was blocked with a sturdy shield, and Cassandra maintained her footing with an angry thrust of her sword. The despair demon from before prepared to attack with another burst of cold, but the hands that misted with frost were swiftly severed from bone-like arms as Cole leapt into the fray. The creature screamed for only a moment before Compassion drove a razor sharp dagger through its head.

Solas was blasting the rage demon with spikes of ice, slowing its movements enough for Cassandra to get in a few good hits. Lavellan seemed to be focused on maintaining the warrior’s barrier more than anything else. Another despair demon peeled itself away from the fade to explode into the waking world with a mighty gust of freezing air, knocking Cassandra off her feet. The rage demon reared back with a roar, prepared to strike a killing blow, but Cole was faster. He appeared from midair, clashing with the flaming entity’s back and driving both of his weapons down to their hilt into the beast’s throat. He promptly severed the head with an inhuman strength and a fierce snarl.

Solas had switched from ice to fire, and was now grappling with the counter magic of the second despair demon. A massive fireball sent the monstrosity slamming into the water with a splash. Cassandra was swift in rushing over to drive her sword through the demon’s head. Another one down. For a moment, all seemed peaceful, and the group panted, preparing for what Serana knew would be a second wave. Only a minute later, and the rift crackled with power, and a massive pride demon stepped into their world with a burst of electricity.

The entire group was thrown off their feet, dazed, and even Serana could not escape the blast. It tore through her body and she jerked around in desperation, grunting with the pain that stretched across her skin. It was gone as soon as it had come, leaving on a tingle across her flesh. The others were recovering as well, for Solas had leapt to his feet to stir up a blizzard whilst Lavellan replenished the group’s barriers. Serana returned to her feet with a huff of breath, her wide eyes entranced by the sight before her.

The pride demon was terrifying. The others that had come from the rift possessed grotesque and foul appearances, but this demon simply looked lethal. It was covered in spikes, its skin mimicking armor plating, its talons extending the size of an arm, and several soulless eyes were fixated upon the group that it was no doubt planning to slaughter. She was certain that the Inquisitor could handle herself against such a threat, but seeing it up close, in such a real environment and not that of the game was pure unsettling.

Cassandra rushed to get the thing’s attention, beating on her own shield with her weapon and screaming for its focus. It swung at her and she danced out of range, fully aware that her shield would not absorb such mighty blows. What happened next was mesmerizing. The form of Cole blinked into view just inches away from the demon, shooting through the air like an arrow, just a blur within the action. He dove toward Pride with his knives extended, and tore across, _through_ , its body, searing through skin, muscle, bone, and anything else a demon might have beneath their flesh. Serana was no expert on pride demon anatomy, but she was sure the attack had done a huge amount of damage, because the thing drew back its head and _screeched_.

The noise was ear splitting, and she had to cover her ears. In the blink of an eye, Cole was surging through his target once more, and then again, splattering the earth with the creature’s blood. The next thing she knew, the rogue was clambering up the pride demons back just as he had done with rage, driving both of his blades into skin wherever he could find an opening between the massive spikes. Cassandra moved in to hack at the beast’s leg and it toppled with a roar.

Briefly, Serana worried that it would crush the spirit that clung to its back, but Cole pivoted around with uncanny grace until he crouched upon the demon’s chest just as it crashed into the river with a large splash, thrashing powerful limbs. Claws managed to catch the Seeker’s shoulder as she dared to approach, flinging her several feet away. The woman hit the ground with a groan, struggling to rise. Compassion took the moment as an opportunity to lean in and drive his daggers deep into two of the demon’s large eyes. It bared its teeth and swung at him, but the spirit managed to roll out of the way, lunging back for the daggers he had left implanted within the skull of his opponent. He grasped the weapons and twisted with all his might, and the pride demon offered one last scream as it finally lost its life.

Serana expected the battle to be over just then, but her gaze widened as she saw the blood soaked Cassandra and Cole turn back toward the two mages of the group, both of which were trying to kite a terror demon. Serana hadn’t noticed because she had been too concerned with Pride to check back up on the mages, and now she watched as Solas fell beneath the long, slender limbs of the ghastly creature that loomed over him. A blast of spirit energy threw the demon back as Lavellan thrust out her staff with a vengeance; a long cut oozing blood just below her right eye.

Before the terror demon could attack once more, the injured Cassandra had charged in behind it to impale it upon her long sword. Finally, it seemed they could relax. The Seeker collapsed, clinging to her shoulder with a hiss of pain as Solas regained his footing, rushing over to analyze the wound with a critical gaze, his hands sparking with healing magic as the Inquisitor downed a healing potion for her own, much smaller injury, making her way over to the rift to thrust out her palm.

As busy as everyone was, nobody seemed to notice the welling green that seeped into the water just behind Lavellan. Even Cole was preoccupied with helping Solas remove Cassandra’s armor for better access to her wound. Serana frowned toward the scene, unsure of what to do. Her uncertainty washed away when she observed what happened next.

A second terror demon leapt from the river behind the Inquisitor, catching her by surprise (and everyone else, really). It burrowed long claws into her back and tossed her to the ground. Serana knew that the others wouldn’t reach her in time, and she was the closest. She whipped out her own daggers and surged forward. The demon whirled on her, noticing her position despite her attempts to remain hidden, but it was too late. The black haired woman flung herself into the air, aiming to drive her weapons into the beast’s face with a hiss. She had worried that she’d just pass through her enemy, but her will seemed to ring true as she hit her mark with satisfaction. It fell dead at her feet a moment later as the Inquisitor stared up at her savior with uncertain eyes.

Serana gulped when her adrenaline melted away, and she realized the entire group was staring at her.

“Um.” Damn, she was awkward. _Say something scary. I’m supposed to be scary._ “I am vengeance! I am the night! I am-“ _Holy crap, you dipshit, what the fuck, you can’t be Batman, oh my god think of something, they’re still looking!_ **“Fear.”** The voice that burst from her lips was dark and powerful, certainly not her usual light tone. And now the group was looking rather disturbed. _Ahhhhhhhh!_ Serana willed herself to remain unseen once more and slipped away, cheeks hot with embarrassment.


	10. A Wolf's Interest

Apparently, they were refusing to talk about her because for the past hour since closing the rift, they had focused almost all of their attention on healing Cassandra and Lavellan’s wounds. She supposed that was okay, because if they were to talk about her, it would probably be to say things like ‘what the fuck just happened’. Serana was still somewhat embarrassed about it. Even Cole was keeping to himself, rushing out to gather nearby elfroot and who knows what else when their supplies got low.

Cassandra’s shoulder wound was savage and deep, and there was no doubt damage to the bone. It looked like it would leave a nasty scar. The Inquisitor’s wound was a bit less critical, none of the punctures had struck vital organs, but they had bled profusely. After the bleeding of both wounds was finally stopped, Solas banished Cole into the wilderness to seek out the aid of Inquisition agents, of whom had a camp relatively nearby, though the mage did not wish to force his two injured companions to walk, much to Cassandra’s dislike, as she argued extensively about just how uninjured her perfectly fine legs were. Solas, however, seemed to be concerned about infection and the amount of blood that both women had lost. They looked pale.

He had apparently slipped something into the drinking water of the Seeker and the Inquisitor, because the two were soon fast asleep in their bedrolls. Solas moved over to the small fire he had prepared, for there was a slight chill in the air. Serana lingered nearby, unseen and unheard, simply watching. She was surprised when he finally spoke.

“I know you’re here, Fear.” Ah, so he was calling her that now, was he? _Well it is your fault, you dumb shit, quoting Batman like some nerd._ Anyways, she distinctly remembered telling him that she preferred to go by Serana. Did he not recall that conversation at all? Did the image of Cassandra trying to stab her not stick within his head? Of course it did. The smug bastard definitely remembered. There was probably another reason why he had referred to her as Fear. “Show yourself.” The tone was not unkind, but it was demanding.

Wary, Serana moved a bit closer, standing on the opposite side of the fire. She allowed her shroud to slip away and watched as blue eyes came to rest upon her. Solas seemed to be studying her.

“You’ve been following us.” That might have been obvious from the fact that she had been there to lend aid to the Inquisitor. Luckily, the ancient elf didn’t sound too angry. ‘ _It isn’t right; none of it, the air is dull, stale, empty, dust of what used to be. They stare at me but there is no spirit in their eyes, not like before. What have I done? Have to make it right, fix it, what is the extent of the damage? So lost, so afraid…’_ Serana blinked away the scene, finding the elf staring at her with a guarded expression. _Oh shit._ She suddenly realized that she had been speaking everything out loud.

“Sorry.” Serana muttered, dropping her gaze to her wrists and wiggling her fingers in an idle gesture.

“A demon that apologizes for its nature.” When Serana looked up again, she found that the man seemed slightly amused, and intrigued. There was a moment of silence before he spoke once more. “I wanted to thank you for your aid, but I must ask, why did you help us?” Ah, he was just as thirsty for information in the real world as he was in the game. Her brow furrowed at the thought. _Now I’m calling this the real world._ She wanted to laugh at her foolishness. _I’m practically a ghost here._ Well, at least the answer to his question was somewhat obvious.

“You were not paying attention.” Serana replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. _Wasn’t it?_ She watched a smirk crawl across the Dread Wolf’s lips as he uttered a light, barely audible chuckle.

“Then I am glad that you were watching when we were not.” His voice seemed genuinely thankful. It made her feel…lighter. Happier. She thought she enjoyed the warmth that came from his words. “You said before that you did not know you were a demon.” It was a statement, rather than a question, but Serana knew that Solas desired an explanation.

“I am not from this world, and I do not mean that I come from the fade.” She paused a second to let that sink in, watching for a reaction, but the elf gave none. “My world is much different from this one. Demons are not really a thing where I come from…there are stories about them, but most people don’t think they’re real.” Briefly, she wondered why she was even telling Solas about her past, but then, he was Fen’Harel, and she found that if he could keep his own secrets, surely she could trust him with her own, as well? And the information didn’t seem particularly sensitive. There was nothing an enemy would be able to do with it. People would probably look at her crazy if she decided to start telling everybody about Earth, but then, they already looked at her crazy.

“How did you get here?” He wondered aloud. She narrowed her eyes, still rather confused about that herself.

“I was brought here, by what I don’t know. Some kind of evil looking creature.” That was really all the information she could give. The giant spider-devil-skeleton-monster hadn’t exactly given her a name. Solas seemed to look a bit concerned at her words. It was then that Cole finally burst through the undergrowth, a half dozen Inquisition agents at his side and burdened with medical supplies. Serana chose that moment to disappear once more, gone like a leaf in the wind.

Solas stood to greet the head agent, a gruff human male riddled with scars. He offered the elf mage a salute before explaining the situation.

“Sir, we have a wagon waiting on the road near our camp. We’re to help you gather up all of your supplies and carry the two injured back with us. They’ll rest on the wagon as we make our way to Skyhold.” Solas seemed satisfied by the man’s words, and nodded, allowing him to continue on with his task. He and Cole worked alongside the agents, gathering the horses and taking off for the road. Cassandra and the Inquisitor slept, blissfully unaware of their situation, with Cassandra tucked within the arms of an agent and Lavellan wrapped in Solas’s protective embrace.


	11. The Gang's All Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to catch a glimpse of the gang, ya'll!

It took two weeks to reach Skyhold. Two long weeks. Cassandra had contracted a fever that did not want to break only a few days into the journey. Her wound looked sickly and smelled foul. The Seeker rested in the wagon the entire ride, and for the most part, Solas kept her asleep. The few times she had awakened, she had groaned with obvious pain, muttering incoherently whilst Cole attempted to coax her into drinking water. The spirit had approached her one day, though their interaction had not been exactly friendly.

“Solas would like you and I to go and gather elfroot.” Cole had stated in a rather emotionless tone. He wanted to help, of course, but she didn’t. It had come to mind that he had stated that ‘we’ should gather elfroot. Apparently, Solas was still aware of her presence. Perhaps he assumed that she would follow them the entire journey? In which case, he’d be correct.

“Sorry, can’t. Got things to do.” Serana had replied in a bored tone. Cole’s expression wore a mask of confusion.

“No you don’t.” He spoke in a matter-of-fact way that nearly made her crack a grin.

“Yeah…well, good luck though. Have fun!”  And she had turned to walk off, leaving the spirit behind.

Lavellan seemed to be recovering well. She still rested within the wagon when the pain began to flare, but for the most part insisted on riding a horse or walking near Solas. The Inquisitor gritted her teeth, but did not complain.

Serana had learned that she could touch things and phase through objects at will, just as she could hide her presence from other people. She enjoyed giving Ace a pat on the head whenever she could. His fur reminded her of silk.

She could tell that Solas was holding back with his magic when he poured a healing light into the wounds of his two injured companions. He didn’t want them to suspect that he was more than the wandering elf he disguised himself as. If he were not so cowardly, he likely could have healed Cassandra’s infection entirely, as well as the hole in his Dalish friend’s back. Serana felt the need to flick him off, but that would require allowing the others to see her, and making an enemy of the Dread Wolf was likely a bad idea.

Needless to say, the entire group breathed a sigh of relief as they crested a snowy rise in the road and the grand castle that was Skyhold came into view. Serana was in awe of the structure. It seemed much grander than the video game version had presented. Its towering walls glittered with frost, and the entire place was bursting with life. Her face was split with a wide grin as they finally trekked across the bridge and through the gates.

She was instantly assaulted with pleasant warmth. It was still quite chilly, but the air was mild enough for the vegetation to grow around the castle. Serana figured that the entire place was guarded by some kind of ancient magic, which was excellent, given the fact that most people would freeze at such high elevation. The others had shivered nearly the entire walk through the mountains, asides from her, Solas, and Cole. She wondered if the Elvhen even felt the cold. The bald elf didn’t even wear shoes.

A small crowd had gathered within the courtyard as they entered, and Cassandra was immediately rushed to the healers. Serana was certain that the woman would recover, since she had not died during the course of the game, but events weren’t exactly playing out the way that they were meant to. She felt a bit of worry, then, fearing that her presence might have changed something important, and that she might have doomed them all.

The crowd was pressing in on her, and whilst none of them could actually detect her presence, she was choking on theirs. The air was hot and heavy in the thick of it all, questions and statements being flung at the travelling party. Lavellan was trying to calm them all down, leaning on Solas for support, but the nobles were relentless. Most of them were Orlesian. _Ugh._ Desperate for some silence, Serana moved out of range of their obnoxious voices. She found herself headed up the stairs toward the tavern, eager to explore Skyhold in all its glory. Everything was so much better than it had been in the game. The smell of cinnamon lingered upon the air, birds taking refuge from the cold within the bounds of the castle’s magic.

She nearly jumped at the sound of a loud crash in the confines of the tavern.

“Fucking tit bits!” The voice resounded through wooden walls and another crash of something that was likely glass shattered the general ambiance. Those that were nearby turned with confusion, though none seemed eager to enter the building to discover what might have been going on. Serana recognized the voice easily enough, and the giggle that followed as the blonde city elf flung herself through the tavern door made her chuckle with amusement. In pursuit of Sera was black haired male, looking furious. He was soaking wet, too, and the clothes that were plastered to his features showed off a firm muscularity that had Serana’s cheeks blushing red.

“Get back here!” His voice shook the air as he propelled himself forward upon powerful limbs. Sera, however, was nimbler than her apparent victim. She danced right up and over the castle wall, taking off across the battlements. “Damn her!” He spat, realizing that he did not share the elf’s agility. With a defeated expression, the male returned to the tavern, flicking wet air from his face.

She entered the tavern a few moments after the human. The few that were there looked up in confusion as the door apparently opened and closed on its own. She couldn’t help but smile at that. There was much fun to be had with her newfound abilities. A hefty figure moved past her on his way from the bar, a towering body of sheer muscle mass and scarred skin dwarfing her small frame. A set of horns rose from a heavy skull, and she could recognize the man easily enough. _The Iron Bull._ Damn, he was big. His hand was large enough to wrap itself around her entire waist. How did he even get into the tavern without breaking the walls down? Serana observed him approach his chargers, all sitting around a large wooden table.

 **“We had one hell of a time, and it was tough, but here we are boys, alive and well.”** He raised his mug as soon as he took a seat, and the others followed his example. She wondered what he was talking about. **“To slaying a High Dragon!”** The tavern echoed with the sound of their tankards clinking together. To say the least, she was confused. So far as she knew, the Chargers never went out and killed dragons; in fact, the Inquisitor was the only one who would partake in such activities. _Ugh, I should stop expecting reality to mirror a video game._ Nodding in response to her own thoughts, Serana left the tavern with the intent on exploring more of the castle. She didn’t want to stay in one place for long; her excitement drove her to haste.

She jogged up the steps that led into the main hall with wide eyes. There was another crowd gathered there. She suspected that Lavellan and her companions had already returned to their general activities. She didn’t pay the idea much mind; because she found herself standing just a few feet away from the dwarf they called Varric Tethras. Oh, how she wished she could show herself so that she could converse with the rogue, but she doubted that there were many within the castle that would accept her presence. Particularly not the Templars, of whom she had noticed wandering around. They’d likely kill her without hesitation. She watched Varric for a few moments more. He was writing something quite furiously, and if the stack of papers on the table to his right were any indication, he was likely working on a book. _Oh, I’m going to read the shit out of that!_

Serana moved to hover just over his shoulders, watching as he carved ink into the paper. ‘ _The wind howled and the land trembled beneath the might of the storm. The rift writhed and curled like a living creature, spouting a dozen demons into the waking world. The Inquisitor did not falter. With a wave of her hand, the rift sputtered and her enemy’s howled with pain. A simple jerk of her wrist was all it took to tear the rift from existence, and the creatures it had summoned gave their last, desperate screams before fading.’_ Hah, she wondered how much exaggeration Varric could fit onto one page. She would have continued reading if not for the voices that drew her attention away from the dwarf’s progress. Her eyes fell upon Vivienne, and she was… _chuckling._ It was a mocking sound directed toward the tevinter mage that trailed behind her, obviously eager to return to the library, though the Enchanter’s stride was slow and graceful. And Dorian, well, he was as charming as ever. There wasn’t a hint of annoyance upon his tanned featured. _Tanned features….and that mustache. Why are you so beautiful?_ Serana held back a groan as she listened in on their conversation.

“It is rather amusing, Dorian.” The dark skinned _and okay, admittedly beautiful_ woman began. “Your outfit is entertaining, I’ll give you that.” Oh, he did not seem eager to be stuck behind Vivienne and they trailed up the stairs to the library above the rotunda. Serana followed with interest.“The way you sneer at ‘Southerners’, pretending to be a shark from a land of sharks.” It was rare that Vivienne sounded so amused, or perhaps that was because Serana had never actually taken Vivienne with her in the game because she was such a bitch. “But you are not a shark, and you never will be, darling. They knew it, just as you do.”

Dorian smirked as he responded. “I could have pretended. Wore fancy clothes, convinced everyone that I’m something I’m not.” The man paused for a moment with a breath. “Then I could take a position in court, whore myself out, and desperately hope that nobody realizes what a fraud I am.” Serana grinned in response to the tevinter’s words. She wanted to laugh out loud, but that would have made things awkward, considering that no one could see her. Vivienne’s face twitched with what would have been a frown, obviously offended, as she should have been, though the expression did not show past her stoic mask.

They reached the library a few moments later, and the two mages parted ways as Vivienne continued on toward her favored balcony, and Dorian stopped to peruse a bookshelf. “Now, where did I put that book.” She almost wished that she could disturb him. He’d probably be a lot more open minded to her presence; in fact, they might even become friends one day. But the library wasn’t exactly a private place.

Serana turned to lean on the library railing, staring down into the room that Solas had claimed as his own. He was in there now, adding fresh paint to the walls. She was content to watch for a moment, before she noticed the buckets full of colorful paint nearby. _Buckets full? Damn, does he plan on doing this all night long or something?_ She smirked mischievously at that. Serana made her way back down the stairs and into the rotunda with a sly little grin. She really had no motive for what she was about to do other than sheer amusement. She was certain that Sera would understand, at least.

The black haired woman picked up a bucket of red paint whilst the elf had his back turned, brushing delicate strokes across his work. If she ruined his hobo robes, would he finally have something fresh to wear or would he simply continue wearing the stained ones? _Time to find out._ Moving behind the oblivious Elvhen legend, she raised the bucket over his head and promptly spilled the entire contents on top of his body. Solas froze for a moment, obviously in shock as to what had just happened, before whipping around with a fierce glare that could melt ice.

“WHO—WHAT??” Serena moved off to the side, trying to hold in her laughter at the Dread Wolf’s sputtering.

“Oh dear, that’s quite the mess down there.” Dorian piped up from the floor above, having obviously moved over to the railing to investigate the source of the apostate’s outrage. Solas shot the human a piercing gaze, demanding answers that he simply could not give. “Don’t look at me, I didn’t see anything!” The man with the beautifully perfect mustache insisted.

She couldn’t keep it in any longer. Serana snorted with the effort to hide her amusement, and instantly regretted the action when two angry god eyes settled upon her location. Despite maintaining her invisibility, the glare was deeply unsettling. _Heh, time to go._ And so she did, scuttling out of the room as hastily as she could manage and still struggling not to burst into laughter the entire way. She’d go check on him later to see whether or not he actually had another change of clothes.

Well, who was left? Asides from the three advisers, who she wasn’t keen on meeting (except Josephine), there was only Blackwall that she had yet to see. She suspected that he might have been in the barn near the stables, but before she took off toward the false warden’s location, she took a moment to peek into the gardens. The place was beautiful, filled with blooming flowers and vines that crawled their way up the walls to form delicate arches of green. She was tempted to enter the garden and explore a bit more but there, hovering over the shoulder of a Chantry woman was Cole. _Nope._ He’d probably be pretty angry with her after what she had done to Solas, so she promptly shut the door and took off down the castle steps and back into the courtyard.

Dusk was falling over the mountains, outlining a jagged horizon with the last glow of sunlight. The crowd had dispersed, as one might have suspected, but the area was still quite crowded with nobles and servants. There were many more merchants than there had been in the game, having arrived with caravans full of interesting stock. As Serana made her way down the stairs, she quickly became aware of the chill in the air. Luckily, it didn't seem to bother her as it did everyone else. She moved across the courtyard upon silent feet, slipping between the few people still gathered there before finally reaching the barn. She had expected Blackwall, as he called himself, to be alone in his self pity, but the voices she heard inside indicated otherwise. Sliding closer and willing herself to remain unseen, Serana's cool, liquid gaze fell upon both the false Warden and Sera herself. 

"I just need a peach. A ripe one, because if you do it right? Ripe! Down _there!"_ Sera's voice was clearly teasing. Blackwall groaned.

"Please, no peaches, ripe or otherwise." The Warden insisted, rubbing his forehead with a hand. 

Sera giggled a little before pressing on. "Well I can't teach you bananas! That would be like showing you swords! Oh! Remember, do _not_ use it like a sword." 

"By the Maker, Sera, stop it!" 

Serana couldn't help but laugh at their exchange. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry this took so long. I've been hospitalized TWICE since March. My health is deteriorating, but I haven't forgotten about my stories. Made this chapter a bit longer as a bit of an apology gift, heh.


	12. Chapter 12

Josephine was utterly oblivious to Serana’s plans. The ambassador scribbled away at her desk, her nose stuck to whatever she was writing. Serana smiled deviously. In her hands was a spider, plucked from its peaceful life in the corner of a dark hallway. It was frantic in its efforts to be freed, no doubt terrified, as the demon could sense. She practically bathed in the little creature’s panic, but she needed something more, something bigger.

Recently, she had lost the ability to solidify herself. She began passing through objects without her desire, and even began to lose her ability to become seen. She almost hadn’t noticed that, given her habit of remaining invisible from the populace of Skyhold. It hadn’t taken long for the black-haired woman to remember what she needed to regain her…real-ness, if that was even a word. She needed fear. Unfortunately for Josephine, she had been the first one on Serana’s imaginary hit list.

The demon strode forward with a confident stride, a smug little grin playing across cracked lips. Without a moment’s hesitation, Serana dropped the spider into the ambassador’s hair. It only took a second for Josephine to realize there was something there. She reached up to brush away at her head, and her fingers brushed against the rather large spider. Josephine screamed, leaping from her seat and battling with her own hair as she tried to find the arachnid and toss it away. By the time she had finally done that, Serana was drunk off the panic. Laughing heartily, she quickly slipped away, hiding herself in the shadows.

Upon the stone ramparts, in a large, unoccupied tower filled with wooden remnants of destroyed furniture, the demon made her home. She liked to consider it her nest. The sky was bright, clear, and blue, and the air around the castle was comfortably mild. All was well as she laid against the stone and closed her eyes to doze off into a most wonderful rest. Of course, all good things came to an end. She heard him before she saw him.

“You might as well show yourself. Cole told me you were here.” Solas wore a stoic expression, but she could sense that he was less than pleased. “Do not think that I’m not aware of who dumped paint all over me.” Ah! He had changed clothes! Serana grinned at the realization. “You also put a spider in Josephine’s hair.” How could he have known that? Damnit Cole!

“I needed to.” Serana revealed herself, watching the Dread Wolf with a guarded expression. He tilted his head at her, and frowned.

“I’m aware.” Solas finally responded. “That is why I must ask you to leave.”

The demon’s eyes widened. She didn’t want to leave! She wanted to play cards with Varric and get drunk with The Iron Bull, and read dirty books with Dorian! She couldn’t do any of that if she wasn’t at Skyhold. “I don’t want to go!” Serana protested quickly. “I’ll go tell Josephine I’m sorry!”

Solas was shaking his head. “You canno-“ He couldn’t finish. Serana had already blinked out of sight. Moments later she was sprinting across the courtyard and sweeping up the stairs and into the castle. She found Josephine sitting near the fire in her bedroom.

Serana approached carefully. She stood in front of the ambassador for a moment, preparing herself. Then, as suddenly as a flash of lightning, the demon revealed her presence. Josephine practically leaped into the air with alarm, but before she could scream, Serana began yelling out an apology. “I’m so sorry I put a spider in your hair! I won’t do it again!” Josephine simply shrieked with fright and fled the room, leaving Serana standing by the fireplace, staring at the place the ambassador had been just a second earlier.

_I did it wrong! Solas is going to make me leave!_

Serana sat down in the plush chair and sobbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is on hiatus for health reasons.


End file.
